Winter can be a trying time. The days are colder and shorter, with some of the elements making undertaking some daily tasks that little bit harder. Waiting for the bus can be plagued by wind and snow, and the daily pleasures of walking the dog or going for a stroll can be hampered by rain or slushy ice. But conquering these elements with a high-quality piece of clothing is a satisfying achievement, one that leads to many of us looking forward to the fall/winter in order to break out our cherished outerwear collections and battle the elements in style.
We started our Staff Select series to show our readers what garments have worked for us and why, with the first installment bringing you our favorite sweatshirts. Why trust us? Well, we’ve all been in the game long enough to have field-tested a range of quality clothing, and the Heddels operation puts us onto some of the best clothing in the world week in, week out. Whilst our opinions and experiences shouldn’t be taken as definitive, this series will provide you insight into what has worked for us and why.
This time around, we’re showing our favorite pieces of cold-weather outerwear. Some of these pieces won’t be as readily available, but we hope our picks can give you some inspiration in the jacket department, be it in terms of style or functionality.
Daniel – Buzz Rickson’s x William Gibson MA-1 Jacket
I was always a layering person until I picked up the Buzz Rickson’s x William Gibson MA-1 Jacket. I’ve had the pleasure of owning this beast of a Pilot’s jacket for two years and it gets a ton of wear, even when it’s not that cold out. See, I live in San Francisco, where it’s rarely that cold. Some might say this jacket is overkill here, but as a bicycle commuter, this jacket is one of my favorite pieces of kit.
I went with the regular cut on this jacket, so it fits close to the body, and sits just at the waist. A longer cut is available, though. I don’t always wear it zipped up, but when I’m on the bike, you can bet it’s securely zipped over a sweater or hoodie. It goes with just about everything I own, but I typically wear it with higher-rise blue jeans and a hoodie underneath — a daily uniform when it’s chilly out.
I always stash my headphones in the zippered arm pocket, and having the roomy interior pockets to throw my iPhone, facemask, etc. in is a godsend. It’s done up in a really nice weather-resistant nylon in one of my favorite colors — black.
An excerpt from William Gibson’s “Pattern Recognition” (2003), via Google Books, copyright William Gibson.
I love the William Gibson collection MA-1 because of the interesting story behind its inception. A black MA-1 didn’t exist until William Gibson wrote it into his 2003 novel, Pattern recognition, whereby the protagonist, Cayce, dons her cherished black MA-1 made by Buzz Rickson’s. By the end of 2004, Buzz Rickson’s had brought William Gibson’s concept to life, releasing said black MA-1, with a host of other blacked-out Buzz silhouettes to follow in later years.
Available for $650 at History Preservation Associates, but if you’d prefer the regular olive Buzz Rickson’s edition, that’s available at HINOYA for $520
James – RRL Quilted Nylon Puffer Jacket
Like this? Read these:
Trying to consume little-to-no animal products makes buying a down jacket, well, impossible. Luckily for me, RRL was either trying to save some geese or cut some costs (probably the latter), when they made this Quilted Nylon Puffer Jacket.
Taking clear design cues from Eddie Bauer‘s iconic Karakoram Down Parka, this jacket was a way for me to access the vintage down jacket styling that I love whilst honoring my ethical choices. It’s made with a recycled polyester shell and filled with synthetic down, with a faux fur-lined collar and contrasting polyester lining. I got stung by the jacket having leather toggles on the waistband, but I decided to keep it as I don’t believe any animals were killed solely for the production of this jacket.
Anyway, why do I love this thing? Well, it does everything that a winter jacket should and it looks great. Nothing more, nothing less. The cozy aesthetic of the faux mouton-lined hood pairs well with other laid-back winter vibes, like a pair of washed-out selvedge denim jeans and some Clarks Wallabees, or the grey loopwheeled sweat-suit I wear most days.
Despite it not getting ridiculously cold in the UK, I draw for this thing as soon as I can see my breath in the air, and the adjustable waist means I can dial in the fit when not wearing many layers underneath. I can just sling this on over a longsleeve tee or thermal and I’m good to go.
This piece is currently unavailable, and unfortunately, there is nothing comparable in the current RRL line-up, but in terms of styling, you should probably try and pick up a vintage Eddie Bauer from somewhere like Etsy or Grailed. These things will never not be cool.
David – Vintage CWU/45/P
When the temperature starts to dip, there’s one jacket I reach for first – my CWU 45/P. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
CWU stands for “Cold Weather Uniform”, and has been the standard issue flying jacket for the US military since it replaced the MA-1 in 1972. And even though the MA-1 gets all the love in this community, I’d say the CWU is a much better buy. It’s more abrasion resistant, it’s fire resistant, it has a collar, it comes in two levels of insulation, you can run it through the washing machine, the pockets can hold more and have velcro closures, and since it’s been produced continuously for 50 years, it’s very cheap to buy surplus and used ones! I bought mine for $30 at the Rose Bowl about 8 years ago.
The jacket is also perfect for travel because it can be crumpled into a ball for packing or for a pillow without damaging its shape and then run it through the washing machine when you get home. Mine was produced by Avirex in 1984 according to the label code (the original founders of Avirex still make one under their Cockpit USA label). I’ve had to make a few repairs on the stitching on the shoulders, arms, and pockets over the years, but other than that, it’s incredibly low maintenance (remember the washing machine?). Looking forward to adding another year of wear and travel to it this year.
As the military still uses the CWU flight jacket, there aren’t any snazzy Japanese repro brands making these (yet), but great editions of this jacket from the 70s and 80s regularly appear on sites like eBay, Grailed, and Etsy. I would recommend picking up an original American-made article over a cheap Chinese-made one any day.
William – Filson Beartooth Camp Jacket
If my Filson Beartooth Camp jacket was an animal, it would be a dog: a warm, faithful companion ready to take on blisteringly cold winter days outdoors without the slightest hesitation. The only difference is that I live in the city and rarely go outside, but that’s besides the point.
Some might say my comparison is painfully unimaginative, but it’s the truth. Filson’s Beartooth Camp jacket is a rugged, no-frills utilitarian outerwear piece designed to do one job and one job only: keep you warm. It just so happens that it looks awesome, too.
The jacket itself – constructed from a thick and warm blanket-weight cotton – features a snap-front closure and adjustable cuffs, two snap-flap chest pockets, a slotted utility pocket on the left-chest pocket, and two angled-entry hand-warmer pockets. It wouldn’t be a utility jacket if the feature rundown wasn’t littered with the word ‘pocket’, would it?
The Beartooth Camp jacket appears to be a mainstay in Filson’s collection; however, I don’t believe you can pick up the black and grey colorway I have here from the Filson store. I’m not a huge color guy, but I’m also not an all-black-everything kinda guy either, so I wanted something that was muted color-wise but had some visual interest. The grey and black plaid fit the bill perfectly.
Filson is a brand I have a real affinity for. Red Wing aside, it was actually one of the first brands that got me into heritage and high-quality menswear. And even though it’s come under scrutiny in recent years for moving some of its production overseas, I’m still a big fan and the gear holds up. From its flannel shirts to world-famous canvas luggage, I’ve owned a good few Filson pieces in my time, and all of them are still with me today and in pretty good nick.
There’s nothing pretentious about this jacket. It’s a simple, casual ‘chuck-on’, fit for running to the store or going on winter hikes. Although, I reckon you could layer a cheeky cream roll-neck underneath if you were feeling particularly fashion-forward.
Available at Lone Star Dry Goods for $275
Jack – Vintage Woolrich Jacket
Fall and winter layering is something my closet and I seem to wait half the year for in Denver. While I have a spread of down and wool coats I always come back to this grey 1940s-era Woolrich piece. It isn’t the warmest or most interesting winter jacket, but it’s the piece I can rely on to ground a fit or when I’m rushing out the door and can’t quite decide what jacket to wear.
Consistent, casual, and versatile, maybe that’s what I seek for most of my wardrobe. I purchased the jacket four years ago when I was just getting into vintage and heritage wear, and as I’ve experimented with different silhouettes over the years, it’s been my rock for more fitted looks. It does fit a bit smaller on me, so I prefer to style it with a slightly tapered jean, and love throwing a crewneck or hoodie on underneath it. More specifically, I enjoy the subtle grey and brown colorway that lets me style it well with both warm and cold tone fits.
Better still, after four years of wearing it a few times a week all winter, not a single broken thread or small hole has emerged, a testament to post-war quality. While the famed Woolrich factory shuttered its doors only four years ago, brands like American Trench have bought up deadstock fabric from the mill and are producing lovely garments from it today.
Ben – Vintage U.S.N. Deck Jacket
When it comes to being winter-ready, nothing makes you feel better prepared than a trusty jacket. And when I’m looking for a combination of warmth, style, and functionality, I reach for one of — sorry had to do it — my original USN N-1 Deck Jackets.
I’ve had this particular one for 2 years now, originally finding it at an estate sale. I wear it all through late fall to early spring with it really earning its keep during the winter. Dating back to the 1940s, the N-1 jacket was used by US Navy members who worked on the deck of warships, hence the name. The neck tag on this particular jacket — which would’ve contained the contract number — is shredded, but I would guess that it is from late if not postwar.
One of the true classic designs in men’s outerwear, there is something about the no-frills, all-function design that makes you fall in love with these things. Zip-up closure (in working order) with an off-center button up front for added security. Straight hand pockets at waist, waist adjustment ties, Alpaca fur lined, Bedford cord (jungle cloth) outer, short collar with chin strap, knitted cuffs, and the all-important U.S.N. chest stamp.
I usually wear it with a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers but layer up with a sweatshirt, hoodie, or scarf when needed. Being a higher-cut jacket that sits at the waist, I stay away from inner layers that are much longer-cut as this messes with the flow. I find it looks best when paired with higher-waisted pants to get some classic proportions going.
Vintage deck jackets can be found at decent vintage outlets with some wartime curation, but you can also get fantastic repros of these things from brands like The Real McCoy’s and Buzz Rickson’s. Iron Heart also makes its own unique take on this classic.
